


After the Fall

by Maverick



Category: Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-18
Updated: 2014-05-18
Packaged: 2018-01-25 11:24:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1646906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maverick/pseuds/Maverick
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>And oft, my jealousy shapes faults that are not.  ~William Shakespeare</p>
            </blockquote>





	After the Fall

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Fallout](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1649216) by [Maverick](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maverick/pseuds/Maverick). 



> This story is a continuation of my story [Fallout](http://thepokey.popullus.net/fallout.htm) in a what would happen if Jonas Quinn popped through the Stargate when our boys were back on Earth during The Return kind of way.
> 
> It was written in honor of **kitestringer** 's birthday. She placed the Rodney and Jonas seed in my head in the first place and cultivated the idea of what John's reaction might be.  
> Thanks as always to **pollitt** for beta, cheerleading, naming the story, and helping make the boys be mean to each other. That one, she does it all.

John was met at the bottom of the ramp by Cameron Mitchell and a gurney for Sergent Bilbo. John was pretty sure that wasn't his real name, but Rodney had dubbed him that after seeing his hairy feet in the cafeteria the last time he visited. The guy really did have hobbit feet and a penchant for going barefoot. Of course that would be out until the cast came off.  
  
Cameron clapped John on the back. "You realize no one wants to go through the gate with you anymore, Sheppard. Bad mojo or something with all the injuries. How'd you managed to not get killed in Pegasus?  
  
John shrugged and headed to stow his gear. "Had a good team."  
  
Nodding, Mitchell followed him to the locker room. "McKay's been giving Sam and me grief about the "morons" assigned to you. Something about how you don't have enough sense to look out for yourself, so it'd be helpful if we'd assign you someone who could actually watch your back."  
  
That sounded like Rodney. "McKay's giving you grief from Area 51?"  
  
Cameron shook his head as they headed back out into the hallway. "No. He's here."  
  
Okay that was news to him. He'd talked to Rodney yesterday morning and he hadn't mentioned coming for a visit. And John was pretty sure he would have remembered waking up with Rodney in his bed. "What do you mean McKay's here?"  
  
Raising an eyebrow, Cameron continued talking. "I thought you knew. They beamed him in from Area 51 last night to help a visiting dignitary with a project."  
  
Those weren't two words one normally associated with Rodney. Tact was not his speciality. It must be big if they brought him in. "Dignitary? McKay?"  
  
Cameron shrugged. "Before my time. It seems they know each other. He was part of the SG-1 team for a while. I gotta jet, Sheppard. Briefing for our next mission and General Landry gets twitchy if he's left alone with Vala for too long."  
  
That was odd, to hear Rodney tell it, the SGC hadn't been exactly welcoming to him before Atlantis. "Hey, what's this guy's name?"  
  
Cameron stopped. "The dignitary?"  
  
John nodded.  
  
"Chancellor Jonas Quinn."  
  


~*~*~*~*~

  
John had remembered reading some mission briefs about Jonas's time with the SGC but he'd never heard Rodney mention him. And hell, Rodney talked about everyone. In great detail. If he hadn't talked about this Jonas guy, it meant something. And John wasn't sure he liked what it could mean. He put it out of his mind, figuring that Rodney would catch up with him eventually. Either on base or back at John's place -- which was actually Rodney's place, but John was "subleasing" it while Rodney was in Nevada.  
  
By six that night, John still hadn't heard from Rodney and it was kind of pissing him off. He spent the afternoon either in meetings or staring at Bilbo's one good (hairy) foot in the infirmary. He wanted to go back to his place. But more importantly, he wanted to know where the hell his boyfriend was.  
  
He got his answer when he entered the SGA cafeteria and saw Rodney and some muscular guy in army green BDUs sitting together laughing. It raised the hair on the back of his neck. He hadn't heard Rodney laugh like that since they lost Atlantis.  
  
"McKay," he said in greeting as he walked over to the table, trying (but probably failing) for an indifferent tone.  
  
"John." Rodney smiled and John guessed that was something, but it still didn't make him feel any better. "I thought you were offworld until tomorrow."  
  
"Had to come back early."  
  
Rodney's eyes narrowed in concern. "Well you look relatively unharmed. What did those idiots they've assigned you do this time?"  
  
"There was an injury on my team. He'll be fine."  
  
Rodney cocked his head like he could tell something was wrong with John and was silently asking what it was.  
  
It was then that the muscular guy--who apparently could make Rodney laugh like only John had before--held out his hand. "Jonas Quinn."  
  
John returned the gesture. "Lt. Colonel John Sheppard."  
  
Muscular guy smiled warmly. Too warmly if you asked John. "So you're Sheppard. McKay was telling me all about you."  
  
Rodney looked kind of sheepish at that. "Atlantis. I was telling him about Atlantis."  
  
"Really? Can't say that McKay's ever mentioned you."  
  
Rodney looked at John like he'd grown a second head.  
  
Jonas didn't seem to pick up on John's attitude. "McKay and I had the pleasure of working together a while back."  
  
"Oh really?" John said, his tone thick with sarcasm.  
  
Rodney looked at John again. Jonas might not have gotten it, but Rodney was reading John loud and clear. Reading him and choosing to ignore him. "We saved the world, quite literally."  
  
Jonas laughed. "We helped. As I recall General O'Neill and Colonel Carter had something to do with it as well."  
  
Smiling, Rodney turned his attention to Jonas and away from John. "Still haven't learned how to take credit have you?"  
  
Jonas poked Rodney's shoulder with his finger. "You still take enough for everyone."  
  
Fuck. If John hadn't known better, that could have been a conversation he and Rodney were having -- have had several times. Verbal foreplay, McKay-style. Oh yeah, something had gone down between them. Something that Rodney had never mentioned. "So you saved the world?"  
  
Rodney turned back to John. "Goa'uld system lord tried to use the gate to blow up the Earth, blah, blah, blah. Jonas, Sam and I figured out a way to stop him."  
  
Jonas interjected. "With a little help from O'Neill and a 302."  
  
Rodney waved his hands. "Yes, yes. Him and your wacky naquadah."  
  
Jonas laughed like that was some private joke. "Naquadria."  
  
Rodney sighed. And it was like they both forgot that John was at the table. "What a waste. All that power and no way to use it."  
  
"I thought you said you'd crack it within a decade?"  
  
It seemed Jonas knew how to push Rodney's buttons as well as John could. And fuck that made him want to clock him one.  
  
"Well, I've been a little busy lately. And I've still got some time on the clock."  
  
Jonas nodded. "That you do."  
  
"When was this?" John asked, his fingers digging into his thighs to keep his tone calm and even.  
  
Jonas turned his attention to John. "Eight years ago or so. It was after Dr. Jackson ascended. I was new to Earth. And McKay introduced me to..."  
  
Rodney cut him off. "Pizza. I introduced him to pizza."  
  
The red tips of Rodney's ears were a dead giveaway. He and Jonas had been involved. And Rodney had never mentioned it.  
  
Jonas nodded in agreement. "Very tasty. It's become quite a culinary hit on my planet."  
  
"Where is that again?"  
  
"Langara."  
  
John continued his interrogation as Rodney sat gap jawed. "And you're here why?"  
  
"Jonas stumbled upon something that could be very useful against the Ori."  
  
"Care to share with the class?"  
  
Rodney shook his head. "Can't. It's classified."  
  
John raised his eyebrow.  
  
"Don't give me the eyebrow of doom. Not my call. You want to know, take it up with O'Neill and Landry."  
  
Like that would have stopped Rodney in the past. John had had enough. "Well I'll let you two continue to catch up. I assume you'll be staying on base tonight McKay?"  
  
"What? No. I."  
  
John got up and walked away before Rodney even finished his answer.  
  
"I'll be right back," he heard Rodney tell Jonas as he left the mess hall.  
  
They walked back to John's office in silence. That was until the door was shut. "What the hell was that?"  
  
John shrugged. "What the hell was what?"  
  
"Oh, I don't know. You treating Jonas like he's worse than the Wraith."  
  
"Sorry. McKay. Didn't mean to upset your ex."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Don't try to deny it, it was written all over your face."  
  
"I wasn't denying it. I'm just wondering why you're being such an asshole."  
  
"Maybe because you've never mentioned him."  
  
"Hello? Have we ever talked about the various people we've slept with?"  
  
Okay, so maybe Rodney had a point. Then again. "You still could have mentioned it."  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, are we going to exchange sexual partner CVs? Do you have a pad of paper and a pen? I'll get started right now. How in-depth do you want to go? Positions? Acts? Frequency? You understand this might take a while."  
  
"Rodney," John made the mistake of using his mission voice. It just pissed Rodney off even more.  
  
"Chop, chop. Colonel. You need to get started too. Do you think you'll need a three subject notebook or a five?"  
  
"And you say I'm the asshole here?"  
  
"I never said I wasn't one. I just thought it didn't matter to you. Guess I was wrong about that. I guess I was wrong about a lot of things. Now, I'm going to say goodnight to Jonas. And as for your suggestion that I stay on base, I don't think so. I'll be sleeping in my bed. You can stay on base or sleep on the couch, your choice. But I'm not wrecking my back because you're a jackass."  
  


~*~*~*~*~

  
It had been a while since John had slept on a couch, even one as comfy as Rodney's. He woke up in the middle of the night feeling like the biggest idiot alive. He didn't know what had come over him. Rodney had never given him a reason to doubt him. But just the thought of Rodney with someone else, someone who apparently understood the inner workings of all things McKay scared the shit out him. Rodney was his lifeline, the one good thing he had left since they lost Atlantis. And he'd royally fucked it up for no good reason.  
  
The fact that Rodney had come back home last night was a good sign. The fact that he made John sleep on the couch wasn't so great. But at least Rodney was there. And John could try and make it up to him. He knew it wouldn't be easy. Rodney was stubborn and John had been an asshole. He hopped in the shower and worked out his mission plan. A plan that involved Jamaican Blue coffee and a certain t-shirt.  
  
Rodney leaned back against the kitchen counter, his coffee cup in hand, and stared at John. "That is so unfair. You and I are fighting and you pull out the big guns, literally. I *gave* you that shirt."  
  
"I know. Alice is your freebie," John said scratching his stomach, making his shirt rise and exposing the thin stripe of skin that Rodney had never been immune from. "The person you get to sleep with that's not me."  
  
Rodney walked over to John and ran his thumb along that exposed skin. "You know she's fictional, right?"  
  
John shuddered as Rodney let his thumb dip lower into the waistband of John's black jeans. "I'm aware. But you picked her. It's not my fault you picked someone not real."  
  
"Well we all can't lust after Mike Rowe, now can we?"  
  
John laughed. It was an on-going joke with them. He really didn't lust after Mike Rowe. He just liked the show.  
  
"The fact that I picked someone fictional should tell you something."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Yeah. I don't want anyone but you. Of course at this moment I can't say I remember why."  
  
"I look hot in a _Resident Evil_ shirt?"  
  
"Yes, that must be it."  
  


~*~*~*~*~

  
Later when they were stretched out in bed -- a real size one, the only plus to being back on Earth, John was ready to apologize. "I was jealous."  
  
Rodney snorted. "Well duh."  
  
John looked at Rodney and then looked down. "We just lost Atlantis. I couldn't lose... Not you too."  
  
Rodney rolled until he was on top of John straddling him. "You won't, you haven't. Jonas was a friend when I didn't have many. We were both outsiders looking in, so wanting to be a part of the team, to make some kind of contribution."  
  
John stroked his thumbs across Rodney's hipbones. "I can understand that."  
  
Leaning down, Rodney kissed him. It was sweet and so full of something that John couldn't put a name to that it made him shudder. Then Rodney was looking at him as only Rodney ever did. "But I don't think you do. I'm not that person anymore. Part of that is because of Jonas. But mostly it's because of you. You and Teyla, Ronon, Elizabeth, Carson, Radek, and the rest of the Atlantis crew. I *am* part of the team. I *am* part of a family. And I wouldn't change that for the world."  
  
John pulled Rodney down against him, burying his head against Rodney's neck. "I'm sorry."  
  
He could feel Rodney's smile against his hair. They were going to be okay. "You can't help that you're an idiot."  
  
"Love you too, McKay." Shit, he didn't mean to say that.  
  
"I know you do." Rodney covered John's mouth with his fingers and then his lips. He met John's eyes with his own. "You're lucky I find that jealous thing kind of hot. But that being said, you aren't getting rid of me that easy. You're stuck with me."  
  
"Good. And you're stuck with me too."  
  


~*~*~*~*~

  
They met Jonas for brunch later that morning. John found being hospitable a lot easier this time. It could've possibly been due to the fact that Rodney made him wear his _Resident Evil_ t-shirt under his dress shirt. He kind of felt like Superman. After breakfast, they walked Jonas back to the gateroom.  
  
"Take care of yourself. McKay. Scientist. Earth. You too Colonel Sheppard. I hope you both get to go home soon."  
  
John put out his hand for Jonas to shake. "When we do, you'll have to come visit." And John meant it. He could feel Rodney's smile without even looking at him. He motioned for Rodney to walk with Jonas to the ramp.  
  
Rodney clasped Jonas's shoulder. "In case, I never said it, thanks."  
  
Jonas smiled. "You're welcome. And thank you."  
  
"I'll let you know when I solve the problem with the wacky naquadah."  
  
"I have no doubt you will."  
  
The gate whooshed to life and Jonas walked up the ramp. He turned back and waved to John and Rodney.  
  
John walked over to where Rodney was standing, letting his hand settle discretely on Rodney's lower back. "He's a good guy."  
  
Rodney nodded. "He is. And he knows a little about exile."  
  
They walked out of the gateroom together. "When's your flight out?" John assumed they weren't going to beam Rodney back.  
  
Rodney waggled his eyebrows. "Monday. I figure the morons up there can do without me this weekend."  
  
John smiled. "Well I'm on stand down until a replacement for Bilbo is found."  
  
"Make the next guy take off his shoes first before you go through the gate with him. Feet that hairy just aren't natural."  
  
Oh yeah, things were back to normal. "And that's important in a team member, why?"  
  
Rodney shook his head and laughed. And John realized he'd been wrong before. The laugh with Jonas was similar, but this one was all his, would always be his. "I have no idea. You want to go get a pizza?"  
  
"How about we go back to my place and order one?"  
  
"Sounds like a plan. You have some making up to do."  
  
John figured the weekend wouldn't be nearly long enough to show Rodney how sorry he was, but it was a start. 

  
  



End file.
